 Poster: A snowHead
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Ok, I'll be the first to admit it. In the Optometrist's chair I often angle my answers to be sure to have the best vision (as I ignorantly perceive it might be) for skiing rather than day to day vision.
At the NEC Snow Show I met an Optometrist who was espousing the benefits of having a 'sports specific' prescription to optimise your performance.
Has anyone else heard of this?
Am I late to yet another party?
Should I really get my eyes tested again and have special contact lenses for skiing separate from day-2-day use?
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I don't know about skiing but my OH has special glasses he wears just for shooting. I wear the same contact lenses for skiing as I would wear day to day 
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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An interesting one which I would love the answer to. I wear contacts and have had the prescription tweaked to improve my close vision which has reduced my distance. My skiing is bad enough already without making my sight any worse!
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| Quote: |
In the Optometrist's chair I often angle my answers to be sure to have the best vision (as I ignorantly perceive it might be) for skiing rather than day to day vision.
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I'm seriously impressed. How do you angle your answers? Isn't it just a case of reading out the letters and stating which is "clearer and brighter red or green"?
You should be hitting Dragons Den with a range of flat light contacts 
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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billyh ditto
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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deleted
Last edited by You'll need to Register first of course. on Sun 15-11-09 15:27; edited 2 times in total
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Interesting to hear that there might be a better option.
At the moment for skiing I just suffer on without glasses (which I find makes skiing in flat light a real pig!)
Had been thinking about going to get contacts before my next trip, but if there is some fancy special sports version that will be better suited for skiing, that sounds ideal!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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As some of you know, I've only been wearing contacts for a short time (still not a huge success but am hanging in there). I'm sure I remember mentioning skiing once or twice to my chap, in fact I know I did  but he didn't mention anything special.
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the_fatadder, I don't think there's a special, nay fancy  , version however I do think that there are some optometrists who understand different sports conditions and will adjust prescriptions to suit.
Lou, I don't think that your common-all-garden variety optometrist would know, they're probably more used to resolving "do you use a computer daily" adjustments. The bigger point is that I get the sense that I (or even we) may need a dedicated set of contacts (or glasses for some) with a prescription especially adjusted for skiing. We'll just have to hang in here til someone who know's some more chips in.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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IIRC contacts have a different prescription to glasses because the lense is closer to your eye and distance vision is more important for skiing. Could 'sports specific prescription' just be marketing spin based on these two factors.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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e.g., interesting thought. I don't think so but it could become another expensive hobby if not kept in check
I have glasses and contacts and yes, they are different prescriptions. What I have the sense of though is the slightly different principal that you would have a specific prescription for your preferred sport. I would get that prescription diagnosed for contact lenses but the_fatadder might opt for glasses. Of course if I chose to switch to glasses, I would need an eye test to get a glasses prescription specific for me to ski with.
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had my eye balls lasered theyre great. Get it done matey my vision is sweet as a nut now.
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You know it makes sense.
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My contacts are specifially for skiing - almost over focussed to give really sharp distance vision, and a particular brand to cope with the cold, dry air. I tend to wear glasses most of the time otherwise.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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skinanny, are they daily, monthly? And what are they for? Mine are quite strong (l'm long-sighted with astigmatism). I'm still getting used to mine - more or less ok for close-up but have lost distance  When I was trialing, I used Dailies of a lower script (they don't make them in my strength) and added a pair of ready readers. No good for driving though but might help me for skiing.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Like Shimmy Alcott I just answer the questions, in the optomotrists chair. Naive, I know.  I can't think what possible "sports prescription" eyeware might help to improve my skiing (is this just part of that Holy Grail chase after a piece of hardlware which will bring out ones long-hidden potential?).
For skiing I generally wear either goggle inserts, with just my distance vision (as opposed to the varifocals I live in the rest of the time, for old age stuff - presbyopia) or prescription sunglasses, also with just distance vision. Either is fine, though for a dimmer light indoors or menus at lunchtime, or piste maps, I have my everyday specs in my pocket.
I don't think my skiing would be improved by tailor-made eye wear. I shall therefore continu to spend any spare dosh on lessons. Or vin chaud.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I have always skiied with my normal contact lenses without problems since I was about 18. I am farsighted though so distance vision is never a problem though.
I always pub sun glasses (wrap around ones though to reduce "piece of dust in eye" incidents) or goggles on as well to deal with the specific light conditions/requirements.
I don't think I would want to keep my local specsavers in even more carrabean cruises than I usually dol
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Lou, I usually use 2 weekly ones, although I do have some daily ones (cost is an issue). I'm short sighted in one eye and long sighted in the other, and I only wear them for skiing - I find glasses much easier in the summer. I now use Accuvue Oasys. And I did get them specifically for skiing since I'm happy with my glasses at all other times. (Which reminds me that I better get used to them again this week if I'm skiing on Friday!)
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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skinanny, thanks. I just need to get used to what I have over next few weeks. Contacts aren't the fantastic solution I thought they would be as have lost some distance vision which was the only thing that was good! Some more tweaking needed perhaps, I see the optometrist again in December.
Happy skiing, where are you going?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Mine are optimised for distance, hence the need for reading specs too. I tried the compromise settings, but hated them. My distance vision is now way better than normal.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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I use daily disposables for sport - with a prescription which does not seem work for work or reading.
Just by accident though 
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I seriously doubt that a different prescription would be needed for skiing, as the distance requirements are the same as for driving. If my day-to-day prescription didn't work for driving then I ought not to be in a car! Of course someone's everyday prescription may be further complicated if they opts to wear bifocals or varifocals if their close sight requires correction as well (which isn't really a necessity for skiing), but the skiing prescription ought to simply be the same as the distance sight prescription.
My contact lens prescription (daily disposables for sport) is different from that for my day-to-day glasses for the second reason e.g. posted above, i.e. distance of the corrective lens to the back of the eye.
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I just use my bog-std daily disposables..
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| flowa wrote: |
At the NEC Snow Show I met an Optometrist who was espousing the benefits of having a 'sports specific' prescription to optimise your performance.
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This wouldn't have anything to do with said optometrist having a business interest in flogging prescription goggles/sunnies etc?
What a bunch of crap - if you really have an optimal performance level this should be for when you are doing day to day dangerous activities like driving.
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I've always skied in my normal contact lenses and never noticed any problems. I've got a check up this week so if I remember, I'll ask the optician about sports specific prescriptions.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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fatbob, well I'm sure he is interested commercially but as I live in London and he is based in the Midlands there isn't any potential for me becoming a client of his, nor did he force on me or otherwise give me his business details - I don't even know his last name so there's no way he can make any money out of this.
Rather, he introduced me to the concept we're discussing with the kind of passion that peaks my interest - it's a concept I'd never heard of before and I am simply curious to hear more about it from people with more experience.
I had hoped that there might be an informed optometrist who would pitch in as my understanding is very shallow and I think there's probably a lot more to it.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Nibbler, I don't think an Optician would really have the insight - their training isn't as rigorous as an Optometrist's - but you never know. It's gotta be worth asking.
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I use monovision contacts day to day (-4, -6) - left eye corrected for reading/computer, right eye for distance. For skiing I sometimes put the distance prescription in both eyes. I also have mid-strength lenses (-5,-5) which slighly undercorrects both eyes, which is better for middle distance activities that need occasional closer vision but accurate distance perception - squash, badders etc.
Info on monovision :
http://www.accuvision.co.uk/monovision-presbyopia-correction.html
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You know it makes sense.
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davehk, my father uses that approach too - though only one contact at a time as he has the same prescription in each eye. Apparently many surgeons use it too.
Still no Optometrist to chip in on this? I see a gap in our current users - could anyone with an Optometrist mate please encourage him or her to join to help with this thread.
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FAQ
. I think it's probably quite a specialist field in Optometry. Let's hope an insightful Optometrist happens along here soon.
